His wife of 17 years is an active member of AA. Dee was the last of eight children from parents who spent much of the time yelling at each other. They divorced when he was 15 years old - which was a blessing. He thought his goal in life was to get his way.
Born in a small town in Indiana, mom and the kids moved to Omaha, NE after the divorce. He had a smart mouth that got him in trouble. He joined the Marines at 17 and barely got with an honorable discharge but without a plan. For the next 26 years he worked at the post office.
Always quick to marry, his first marriage lasted four years and they had two daughters. He was not a good husband but has not found her to make amends. He took the kids when they separated. The second marriage was short and ended badly after six months together - he came home to an empty apartment. After the next failed marriage his daughters told him "Dad we don't need a mom." The women in his life had problems with alcohol but he never realized their bad behavior was always associated with drinking.
He was introduced to Al-Anon by a office worker who's husband and daughter had troubles with drinking. In 1983 he came to the Cornhusker Roundup and was exposed to the program for the first time. It took a while for him to realize how he qualified and how he needed God..
(1 hr 1 min) (14.1 MB) (id#722)